. 


IC-NRLF 


27    77b 


0noru  Blorm. 


ROBERT 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

C.  P.  HUNTINGTON 
<?«?  6 


G^A 


THE 


SNOW    STORM. 


BY 


ESTHER    M.    BOURNE. 


SAN    FRANCISCO: 

AGXEW   &    DBPFEBAC1I,     PUBLISHERS    AND    PRINTERS,     125    RANSOME    STKKKT. 

1857. 


APOLOGY  or  reason  for  presenting  to  the  public  the  following  series  of 
Poetic  Pictures  by  My  Daughter,  is  unnecessary  ;  yet  I  deem  it  proper  to 
state  that  I  do  so 

First — As  a  Tribute,  however  trivial,  to  Her  Genius. 

Next — Because  it  is  a  graceful  and  graphic  reminiscence  of  scenes  and 
incidents  familiar  and  dear  to  the  memories  of  the  youthful  days  of  the 
men  and  women  of  California,  who  claim  for  their  own,  their  native  land, 
the  northern  country,  where  fruitful  summers  and  healthful  labors  are 
followed  by  stern  winters,  with  their  long  evenings,  cheerful  firesides, 
pleasant  recreation,  mental  improvement,  and  scenes  such  as  are  described 
in  the  Poem,  which  they  will  not  only  appreciate  and  admire,  but  thank 
me  for. 

Lastly — though  not  least — That  I  may  express  some  sentiments  in  rela 
tion  to  a  subject  of  deep  import  to  the  rising  generation,  if  not  to  that 
which  is  now  "  upon  the  stage  of  action,'-  and  give  them  a  more  per 
manent  position  than  through  the  ordinary  channels  of  the  Press. 

Almost  every  man  and  woman  has  a  vivid  recollection  of  the  terrors  of 
school  days ;  of  the  acts  of  injustice,  tyranny  and  cruelty  inflicted  by 
their  teachers.  I  certainly  have. 

Very  deficient  from  birth  in  number,  acquisitiveness  and  secretive- 
ness,  (so  styled  by  the  phrenologists,)  in  my  childish  days  arithmetic  was 
so  profound  a  mystery  that  I  could  scarcely  comprehend  that  "  two  and 
two  make  four  ;"  yet  I  was  required  to  perform  the  same  "  sums  "  as  those 
who,  from  their  different  mental  conformation,  delighted  in  figures.  It 
being  impossible  to  comply,  I  was  "  cut "  and  "  threshed  "  with  hickory  or 
other  rods,  until  my  flesh  would  not  only  be  much  bruised  but  also  "  raw." 
At  last,  to  obviate  such  suffering,  I  yielded  to  the  teachings  of  those  boys 
who  compassionated  me,  and  commenced  a  game  of  deceit  by  hiring  and 
begging  the  doing  of  my  "  sums  "  by  those  who  were  competent.  If  un 
fortunately  they  committed  an  error,  I  paid  the  penalty  by  receiving  a 
"  good  threshing."  Thus  the  brute  of  a  teacher  forced  me  to  learn  and 
practice  fraud  and  deception,  against  which  my  small  sccretivcness  and 


I  V 


large  r  :"  lied.     In  reading  and  >p'-lling  I 

alvrays  1  -d  my  ela~-.  y.-t  f.ir  my  natural  d"!iciency  in  ligur-  -  I  v.  a-  eru"lly. 
murd'Toii-ly.  i  inak--    "  the   idle   liitl"  rascal  DJ] 

-in-.'  that  other<  \\u<i  c\  pli.  T'-d  well   w  r-  alway-  U-ing  "tin 

•  •..   so  indelible  an    inn 

p  >:i  my   m;:id  of  .-oiii"  great    \\ :  ii«Te.    that  0:1  arriving 

at  manhood    I  d"t'-rm::i.'d  that    m»  child  of  mim-  >lii)iil-l  «  \<-r  i-nti-r  school 

i  i;^!i<.raiu  in-"  iuir>in-«l. 

Ala-:  to  Ihia  -liy  it  rniuiris  n-arly  t!i--  MOM  :  and  h. •!•••.    i;i  San  Fran- 
cieco  too.  ;xino:i^  le   upon   t-arth."  (!)  we  have 

tin-  ui'-la:'cli.ilv   -p  cta-l  •  of  ;'    h'-forc  t!i.-    PnTc.'  Court  : 

,i-  arly  pulling  oT  t!i ••  «-ar  of  a  littl-  </\\-\  :  another  lor  cnirlly  and 
brutally  U00  .1  1)(>y  until  his  Imck  \va>  mad  •  -raw."  \v'.th  other 

i-nu'ltii'-.   tip  as  to  call  impvrativ.'ly  forPoliee 

,  .     n:  ,    ,       -  pr-'vail  alm<i>t   uuivrrsally  throu-h.»nt 

all  r:vil;/«'d  e<NUitlie& 

Tin-   •  '   in"  (unworthy  th''  i  fault.     Teachers, 

.1  for  their   p'ruliar   litm-ss,   quitr  coininonly   arc 

ji.ilitiral   J'a-vor'.i.-.-  or  r-lativr.-  of  iullurntial  \>- -r.-tn-.     PenpU  \\lio  arc  fit 

for  nothin.LT.   a:id  win)  do  nothing.  oft;-n  take  ii])on   tin  'in-  -h  -^  or  arc  ajn 

po;nt"d  to  t!:«    r'--]io:i-;i)l--  oilif.-  of  t.-ach'-r  for  -     a  livelihood.     \"rry  l'r>-- 

(jn  -ntly.  in  fact  \-TV  -"ii'-rally.   tli-y  a:  hf.-ju-j.Hrf.  who  Lriu.^  all 

!!!••>  irritalrTiy  and  .-nil' rii.  -chool  room,  and  vent   their  sple- 

-  upon  their  unfortiiMai  •  j»;i|»;U.       K     M  •.   ih  •  ina'e-  l.  adier  is 

•IWAJI  ad-Trtnlto  t'.i.-  M--  of  filthy   tol.acco.  either  in   smoking, 

ehewi;:  .1  aN<>  is    oh;io\;oii  -  to    the  cliar.LT"  of  tl.-ili.^  illto\i- 

catini;  liquors,  all  ]in»durtiv.-  «•»'  I.TMHI-  irritability  and  ]>liy-ieal  and 
iivntal  unlitn'---:  add-d  to  \vhieh.  the  more  MTiOQI  run-id- -ration  of  ih.< 
evil  moral  elf.-et  of  nieh  exainpl"  upon  the  minds  of  the  children  com- 
m'H''d  to  1 

Viewing  the  .I  ud-  "H-IIO..I  >y-t  'in"  and  its  inculcators  and  exponents 

in  tin-  light  in  whk-h  I  view  t!i  TH  a-  a  \\hole.  it  will  not  surprise  the  reader 

\vh"n  I  remark  that  the  author  of  the  followin-  To- in  \va-  n.'v.r  permitted 

to  alt-lid  -ehool  until  well   advam-il  in  IMT  ••  t.-.-n-*."  and  but  a  slmrt  pe- 

3b«  tin-si  had  att-nd.'d    but  a  few  we.-k<  \\li--n 

ill-.--  mim-TiHi"  aets  of.  injustice  so   commonly   i»i-r|i"trate«l  in   tin- 
room  was  infliet-d  ii].on  h-r  :  ami  though  tin-   wrong  was  privately 
.  it  \\a-  not  and  would  not  be  a<  publiely  ;it«in'-d  for  a- eommitt.-d. 
withdrawn  from  -eiiool.   [-chool-.  tlc'n  fore.  ai'«-  not  the 
ull-i---ntial  of  education.]  and  to  th--  r,-m ••nibrancc  of  that  occurrence — 


my  own  experience — as  well  as  the  recent  outrages  committed  in  San 
Francisco,  is  this  indignant  statement  of  my  views,  and  this  PUBLIC  PRO 
TEST  against  the  almost  worthless  school  system  of  the  past  and  present, 
to  be  attributed. 

Our  youth  demand  better  teachers  and  a  better  system  of  education — 
they  must  have  them.  They  will  have  them  when  teachers  are  Phreiio- 
logically  selected  for  their  fitness ;  and  for  a  " school  system"  they  have 
a  Phrenological  basis,  with  PHRENOLOGICAL  SCHOOLS — schools  in  which 
their  MINDS  AND  BODIES  WILL  BE  EDUCATED  IN  ACCORD  WITH  THEIR  NEED — 
schools  wherein  the  great  and  profound  truths  of  Nature  will  be  the  rudi- 
mental  and  fundamental  of  all  their  teachings,  and  effective  incentives,  etc., 
be  substituted  for  humiliating,  debasing  and  brutalizing  punishment.  Then 
school  days  will  indeed  be  the  hylcyon  period  of  life,  ever  to  be  fondly 
reverted  to  in  all  after  years. 

YOUNG  AMERICANS  !  Inform  yourselves  in  relation  to  their  importance, 
and  then  unite  in  an  unceasing  demand  for  PHRENOLOGICAL  SCHOOLS,  and 
if  YOU  cannot  have  them,  at  least  RESOLVE  THAT  TOUR  CHILDREN  SHALL. 

The  moral  which  may  be  drawn  from  my  own  experience  is  a  sufficient 
warrant  for  its  presentation  to  the  public,  and  will,  I  trust,  have  its  due 
influence  upon  those  whose  retrospect  is  confirmatory  of  the  truthfulness 
of  the  picture  which  I  have  drawn  ;  and  if  it  be  the  means  of  arousing- 
only  one  intelligent  and  influential  mind  to  the  merit  of  a  due  investiga 
tion  of  such  a  "  SYSTEM  "  as  PHRENOLOGY  would  inaugurate,  the  object 
which  I  have  in  view  will  be  accomplished. 

I  wish  to  know  that  the  brutality  of  flogging  is  abolished  in  schools  as 
well  as  in  the  public  service  of  the  United  States  and  our  merchant  ma 
rine  ;  and  that  the  MINDS  and  BODIES  of  CHILDREN  are  to  be  SCIENTIFICAL 
LY,  HAPPILY  and  DULY  DEVELOPED. 

I  wish  also  to  be  distinctly  understood  as  recognizing  the  fact  that 
there  are  teachers  who  are  not  brutal  and  tyrannical ;  who  are  not  ad 
dicted  to  the  odious  habits  of  using  tobacco  and  liquors ;  and  that  there 
are  those  who  do  not  suffer  from  the  curse  of  ill  health  ;  and  that  there 
may  also  be  many  who  disapprove  of  the  wretched  "  system  "  by  which 
they  are  governed  and  compelled  to  act — but  I  sincerely  believe  they 
form  the  exceptions. 

The  illustrations  are  Californian.  To  Mr.  NAHL,  the  artist,  I  am  chiefly 
indebted  for  the  drawings ;  to  Mr.  DURBIN  YAN  VLECK,  a  genuine  young 
American,  for  their' clever  cutting. 

G.  M.  BOURNE.  % 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  NOVEMBER,  1857. 


/ 


THE  S3STOW  STOPiM. 


The  beauteous  snow  has  come  at  last. — 
Athwart  the  sky 

In  feath'ry  flakes,  'tis  falling  fast ; 

They  fly!   they  fly! 
In  quaint,  fantastic  shapes  'tis  cast. 

On  all  that  's  nigh. 


All  o'er  the  bleak  and  wide  expanse, 

A  mantle  white 
Is  thrown.      Far  as  the  eye  can  glance, 

Most  dazzling  sight, 
The  snow-wreaths  in  their  merry  dance, 

"Wear  robes  of  light! 


THE     SHOW     STORM. 


O'er  meadow,  orcluml.  1'n-ld  and  plain. 

I !<>\v  <\vift  they  go! 
Ka<-!i  post   ami  rail  along  tlie  lane — 

The  gt&M  tufts  low — 
lu  vestments  white  arc  wrapp'd  airain. 

With  .-now,  with  snow. 


And  now  it  whirls  in  mimic  war 

Along  the  hedge ; 
In  eddying  gusts,  'tis  flying  far, 

Across  its  edge ; 
Its  glist'ning  white  there  'a  nought  to  mar, 

On  the  low  sedge. 


THE     SNOW     STORM. 


Along  the  road  how  deep  its  fall ; 

There  7s  not  a  sound ; 
In  silence  weird,  unbroken  all. 

It  lays  : — no  ground 
Is  seen ;   no  noise  ;   the  snow-birds,  small, 

Look  sadly  'round. 


With  snow  it  all  is  cover'd  o'er  ; 

The  flakes,  pure  white, 
Are  gently  falling,  more  and  more, 

So  soft  and  bright. 
The  children  at  the  cottage  door 

Shout  witli  delight! 


THE     SNOW     STORM. 


Til.-  sums-  N  fulling  soft  and 

Upon  the  ground ; 
Its  curls  upon  the  trees  are  6*8*1 

Low  drooping  'round. 
.l;i'-k  Frost,  with  mairic  chain,  at  last. 

The  earth  has  bound. 


Ath\vart  the  road  a  snow-drift  high 

Is  swell  iiiir  yet ; 
Now  let  the  fragile  sleigh  draw  ni-h. 

It  will  up-set : 
Out  falls  tin-  LiToup.  who.  warm  and  dry 

Get  cold  and  wet. 


THE     SNOW     STORM. 


The  boys  are  coining  home  from  school— 

The  snow-balls  fly 
7Mid  laughter  loud — no  care,  no  rule — 

Now  low,  now  high. 
'Midst  merry  shouts,  with  hands  so  cold, 

Some  laugh,  some  cry. 


They  soon  will  grasp  the  snow,  and  mould 

A  quaint  Snow-Man  ; 
An  image  strange,  with  air  so  bold, 

They  Ve  quick  began  ; 
And  when  his  head  is  nicely  rolFd, 

Upright  he  '11  stand! 


(76 


6 


THE     SNOW     STORM. 


And  then  lie  'a  done  ;   a  curious  eight 

To  Southron  eye. 
Their  sleds  they  Vc  brought,  and  with  delight, 

"Let  's  home,"  they  cry. 
The  snow  storm  now  has  reach'd  its  height, 

And  evening  's  nigh. 


The  winds  sweep  low  with  gentle  moan, 

O'er  meadows  wide — • 
'Round  hill-side  bleak  : — in  forest  lone 

They  seem  to  hide. 
The  drifted  snow  is  lightly  blown 

From  side  to  side. 


THE     SNOW     STORM. 


f  OP  T] 

|  UNIVEJ 

Vek 

^p 


The  snow  has  ceas'd ;   it  falls  no  more 

The  wintry  air 
Is  blowing  cold  ;    the  cottage  door 

Is  shut  with  care. 
The  moon  her  light  is  pouring  o'er 

The  landscape  fair. 


To  deck  the  earth,  the  Elves  have  task'd 

Their  fancies  bright ; 
It  seems  as  if  it  all  had  bask'd 

In  silv'ry  light! 
Each  tree  and  vine  they  Vc  surely  mask'd 

In  garments  white. 


THE     SNOW     STORM. 


Advrnt'miis  youth  prepares  the  sleigh; 
The  fiery  Rftet  I 

Impatient  stands. — Away!    away 

With  liirhtniiur  spoed 
They  soon  will  irlide,  'mid  laughter  piy- 

One  takes  the  lead! 


The  silv'ry  bells,  with  pleasant  sound. 

Are  jingling  glad  ; 
The  dainty  horse  thoy  clasp  around — 

In  music  clad — 
Kxcitcd  l.y  them,  o'er  the  ground 

He  flies!   like  mad. 


THE     SNOW     STORM. 


While  merry  jests,  from  rosy  lips, 

Come  quick  and  low, 
The  Frost-King,  with  cold  fingers,  nips 

Their  noses,  oh ! 
In  joyous  sport  they  crack  their  whips. 

And  course  the  snow. 


On,  on  they  race,  and  gaily  cry, 
"We  '11  soon  be  there!" 

And  sparkles  bright  each  girlish  eye — 
They  Vo  not  a  care — 

While  whisper'd  words  and  kisses  sly 
Float  on  the  air. 


10 


THE     SNOW     STORM. 


The  pleasant  evening    now  has  pass'd, 

And  home  they  go : 
O'er  road  and  lane  they  're  driving  i'u-t- 

How  crisp  the  snow ! 
And  wearied  eyes  are  closed  at  last — 

In  sleep?     Oh,  no! 


The  moonlight  soft  is  falling  o'er 

The  earth  below ; 
A  holy  sight,  as  if  to  lure 

Man's  thoughts  from  woe  ; 
So  gentle,  and  so  pure,  it  lays 

Upon  the  snow. 


or  - 
TTTST  TTT TT/R  CTTT 


600 


NON-CIRCULATING  BOOK 


,     , 


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